Friday, 21 October 2016

A Visit to Shropshire: Caer Caradoc Hill

This was my final days walking. The objective was Caer Caradoc Hill above Church Stretton, on the opposite side of the valley from Long Mynd. This picture was taken the day after, when I was stuck in the MBA AGM in perfect weather conditions. Sods law!.....

Like a number of the hills that I had climbed during the week, it is volcanic in origin and was formed by rock thrust upwards by movement deep down in the Stretton fault, which apparently runs from Staffordshire to south Wales.

It was quite dull when I parked in the main car park in Church Stretton but the forecast was an improving one. My route crossed the railway, then the A49, turned first left along a lane which became a track which was a permissive path, through a field, then some woods and then another permissive path up the south ridge. This is looking back at Church Stretton from the field area.....

The hill top area was another Iron Age fort which local legend suggests was also the site of a battle between Caractacus and the Roman legions during the latters conquest of Britain. Whatever, it is not as impressive as Burrow, although it is in an equally commanding position. This is the remains of a ditch.....

and there were various rock outcrops towards the top.....

The exact summit was unmarked and could have been at any one of a number of rocky areas. I wandered round them all just to make sure.

The weather was really dull at this point which was a shame as I had really been looking forward to this hill. This is looking to Church Stretton.....

and this is north along the ridge of hills in this particular range.....

The weather had started to improve but by this time lots of people were arriving so I decided to set off down and take some photos looking back up so that I would have a photographic record of the ascent. Here they are in descending order.....

So that was my trip. Nine new Marilyns, all interesting, as were the towns and villages that I passed through.

3 comments:

Thanks Russell. It was somewhere different, not as high hills as I am used to but lots of interesting features. The only problem that I have with the England and Wales hills is their rules for access; I don't really like being told that a path is "permissive". Still, won't stop me exploring other parts of these countries.

Followers

About Me

I have been hillwalking for many years. Most of my walking has been done in Scotland, although I have also walked in a number of European ranges including the Alps and also in the USA. I have compleated the Munros and most of the Corbetts and am now tackling some of the other hills on the Marilyn list. Nowadays, I prefer to walk in good weather conditions when I can see and appreciate the scenery around me! I got a regular hill-walking companion in late 2010- a springer spaniel called Ben who just loves his trips to the hills.
This blog records my hillwalking trips from the beginning of 2010.